George Gershwin (2012)

Gershwin

The Gents, Johannette Zomer, Haags Saxophone Quartet

Beni Csillag

After recordings of English Renaissance and German romantic music, and twentieth-century works from France, we venture across the ocean to the new world, with an album that takes us to Broadway.

Jetse Bremer has specially arranged the last compositions by George Gershwin for this combination of soloist, choir and instruments. I am delighted that the flexibility and homogeneous sound of The Gents matches these songs so well.

For all of us with a classical background this repertoire is a special challenge, raising the question where classical stops or changes into something else. It is our pleasure to leave the answer to you.

Béni Csillag

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The Gents

The Gents is a unique, all-male Dutch vocal ensemble which, in a very short period, obtained a prominent position on the international music scene. This group of young singers is praised for its characteristic sound, its flexibility, and its unequalled interpretation of a very divergent vocal repertoire. The Gents have their roots in The Roden Boys' Choir, considered one of the Netherlands' top boys' choirs, and inherited its quality and professionalism. Conductor Peter Dijkstra founded the group in 1999. He was the artistic leader / conductor of the ensemble until 2007 and is now its first guest-conductor. As from August 2008, Béni Csillag is the conductor of the ensemble. Regardless of the music they perform - be it religious music from the Renaissance, romantic English music, contemporary jazz arrangements, pop songs, or works that have been specifically composed for the ensemble - the concerts of The Gents are always an extraordinary experience. As a result, they can count on an enthusiastic audience and good reviews in the press. The Gents have also acquired an international reputation. They have performed in Japan, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Spain. In April 2005, The Gents made their first concert tour in Japan. At the invitation of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan, they performed at the World Expo in Aichi in front of an audience of 5000 people, including Dutch and Japanese royals. Its overwhelming success made the Gents decide to make a second Japan tour in 2006.

Johannette Zomer

After several years as a microbiologist, Dutch SopranoJohannette Zomer trained at the Sweelink Conservatorium,Amsterdam with Charles van Tassel. She currently studieswith Diane Forlano.Johannette made her opera debut as Tebaldo in Don Carlowith the Nationale Reisopera and has gone on to sing Belinda– Dido & Aeneas, La Musica & Euridice – L’Orfeo,Gassman’s Opera – Seria, Dalinda – Ariodante, Ilia – Idomeneo,Pamina – Die Zauberflöte and Amanda – Le GrandeMacabre for the company. She has also sung Oberto in Alcinaat the Komische Oper. On the concert platform she has aenviable reputation as a baroque specialist working with manyof the top conductors in the field such as Ton Koopman,Frans Bru?ggen, René Jacobs, Reinhardt Goebel and PaulMcCreesh as well as collaborating for 20th century and contemporaryrepertoire with Kent Nagano, Daniel Harding,Valery Gergiev, Reinbert de Leeuw and Peter Eötvös. Herrecent engagements have included Bach B Minor Mass with the Tonhalle Orchestra/Bru?ggen, and Euridice in Gluck’s Orfeo with the Bamberger Symfoniker/Christian Zacharias.She regularly gives recitals with fortepianist Arthur Schoonderwoerd with whom she has recordedSchubert Songs for Alpha Records and is a member of the early music ensembles Compania Vocale andAntequera with whom she sings Neapolitan and Spanish baroque repertoire and medieval Cantigas.Johannette’s recent and future plans include projects of Handel and Frank Martin with the RiasKammerchor/Daniel Reuss; Bach and Buxtehude with the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra/Koopman,Handel with Collegium Vocale, Gent and Gluck and Buxtehude with The Netherlands Bach Soc

Haags Saxophone Quartet

The Haags Saxophone Quartet (formerly Python Saxophone Quartet) is an idiosyncratic ensemble with its own unique style. Since its creation in 1998 the ensemble specialized in contemporary chamber music.The ambitious musicians work closely together with young composers to get to the heart of the ensemble’s sound spectrum.They also work together with other musicians, actors and dancers.

The Gents, Johannette Zomer, Haags Saxophone Quartet

NRC

SA-CD.net

Here is how Béni Csillag, head of the group The Gents, presents this well-crafted SACD: “After having recorded English music from the Renaissance, German romantic music and French music from the 20th century, with this new SACD we are exploring the new world of Broadway. Jetse Bremer arranged the last compositions of George Gershwin especially for this combination of soloists, choruses and instruments. I am quite happy that the flexibility and homogeneity of The Gents corresponds well to these songs.” The listener too is quite happy with a most exciting program: seven songs from “A Damsel in Distress” from 1937, the famed “Rhapsody in Blue” from 1924 in a most subtle arrangement for saxophone quartet signed Johan van der Liden, “They Can’t Take That Away from Me” from “Shall We Dance?” from 1937, “Fascinating Rhythm” from “Lady Be Good” from 1924, and four excerpts from “Porgy and Bess” from 1935. The interpretation of The Gents is, once again, of an exemplary delicacy one could easily qualify as essential, even unique in this kind of repertory. Here is an SACD to discover without delay.